


echoes in the dark alone

by CycloneRachel



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Character Analysis, Gen, Loneliness, Mentioned Kara Danvers, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:21:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23346088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CycloneRachel/pseuds/CycloneRachel
Summary: prompt from vulcan-highblood: "Brainy feeling lonely and not being able to spend time with his friends anymore so he starts talking to yellow boots brainy more because he just needs someone to talk to"
Comments: 6
Kudos: 15





	echoes in the dark alone

It was an ironic situation, really.

At around this time two years prior to the current one, Querl was coming to terms with his waking up in the twenty-first century, with only knowing two people (and actively lying to one, for many weeks). He had known, then, what had to be done- at least the Legion ship was there, at least Imra was there to steady him, as it were. Around her, and even Mon-El, he did feel less inhibited, even if that feeling went away the moment he stepped off the ship.

But at the same time, he was still in a time he didn’t know, among people he’d only heard of- Supergirl especially, which made him especially nervous as helping her out of her mind-prison was his first mission in this time- and even with Imra and Mon-El there, he wasn’t entirely sure of himself.

And nowhere was that unsureness so pronounced than around one Winslow Schott, Junior.

He was nowhere as intelligent as Querl, that was to be sure. But Supergirl and her compatriots clearly saw him that way, and they didn’t afford him nearly as much respect. And his first instinct was to demand it, as it was his right- of course they should defer to him. Of course he wanted them to rely on him. He was Querl Dox, Brainiac 5. A twelfth-level intellect, for good reason- and it didn’t seem like those around him knew that.

It saddened him, he had to admit. But it also pushed him to be better, to meet the others, especially Winn, at their level. And as he continued to do so, to not fight with them, and even connect with their primitive technology… he grew fond of them. Of working with Kara and Winn, especially, and by the time he had to say goodbye to them, he realized he would truly miss this time.

Unfortunately, he would not miss it for long.

Then, there was a year ago.

By then, his adjustment to the twenty-first century had continued, and was completely a work in progress- he could even be happy, working alongside Kara and Alex and the rest of what Kara referred to as the “super-friends”. He had even been invited to Thanksgiving with Kara, which, after consulting with Alex and J’onn about such things, he concluded was truly an honor. And even though he was worried, regarding Nia Nal and what changes he could make to the timeline simply by talking with her, he also had to admit that he was proud to see her succeed and grow as a hero, and he was glad, as much as he could, to be her friend.

But there was also the matter of Kara being made to leave the DEO, and Alex not knowing Kara’s secret identity- so, in addition to being without Imra and Mon-El, let alone the other Legionnaires, he was also effectively working without her as a confidante. Such a situation only amplified his loneliness then, but instead of letting these emotions deeply impact him, he instead channeled them into helping Kara, into working alongside the Super-friends outside of the DEO, and sectioning himself off while around Alex.

As one might have expected, it was exhausting, even without the matter of his trying to fit in and convincing others to like him, which only drained him more.

But it was nothing compared to this year.

This year, when merely removing his inhibitors should have been enough, when he should’ve been able to take time for himself and adjust to who he truly was- who he would be, after over twenty years of his real self being suppressed. He could not be that lucky, though.

Instead, he had to inhibit himself once more, working for Lex Luthor… and, if he could not feel more alone (something that the female version of himself had specified, and he suspected she knew that Alex would leave the DEO after Lex took over, as she too was made Director), Alex had decided to resign, and outside of Lex, Kara was the only one he was truly friends with (unless he wasn’t, now), that he could talk to.

And even her, he had to be dishonest with… which truly broke his heart, leading him to search for any kind of alternative.

“Supergirl?” he found himself asking her.

“What is it, Brainy?”

He lowered his head, letting the mask drop for one moment as she saw how upset he was. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he looked back up at her.

“When you were lonely… if you were, when you started working here, alongside your sister and J’onn… what did you do?”

Kara gave him a gentle smile, and guided him to the room with Alura’s hologram- or, the room that, as he remembered, once contained Alura’s hologram. Now, there was a different room that served as a place where she could communicate with Argo City and especially Alura, leaving this room free.

“I hope you feel less lonely soon.” She said. “And… you can always talk to me, if you want.”

He promised her he would- yet, knowing he couldn’t really keep that promise, closed the door behind her with a heavy heart.

Then, he concentrated, activating the life projectors he wore, and when he opened his eyes, there was an alternate version of himself projected on the opposite wall, wearing a lab coat over his uniform along with his green sunglasses and the yellow boots that Querl himself had once worn.

“Hello, Querl.” He said. “What do you need me for?”

“I am lonely.” He blurted out.

The other Querl took off his sunglasses, and raised an eyebrow.

“I’m listening.”

(it wasn’t long before those sessions became longer, and they weren’t just for advice anymore.

Then again, they never really were)


End file.
